Oar coupling



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. N. BEST.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented June 12,1883.

Jul/6753071 Mw/ Halo Lthugrapher Waxhingio n. u. a

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. N. BEST.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Jline 12,1883.

N1 PETERS, Phom-Limo n hm. WzihingtunJLC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB N. BEST, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BEST CAR COUPLERCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,121, dated June 12,1883.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ACOB N. Bnsr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado,have invented new .and useful Improvements to Bests Oar-Couplings, whichimprovements are fully set forth in the following specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain improved attachments applicable to Bestscar-couplings.

In order to more fully set forth and describe my invention, reference isto be had to the ac companying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of the Best car-coupler attached to the end of a car,showing the guard G, the lifting-arm M, the loose joint J, and theshield A.

Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation on the line :0 a; in Fig. 3,showing the position of the end of the lifting-arm M when at rest in theopening 0 in the cover 0, (see Fig. 6,) the guard G, which is apermanent part of the main casting A, (see Fig. 1,) operating as a stopto the lifting-arm M when withdrawn from the rest 0, also guarding thelifting-arm M against danger from blows from the front, protecting theslot through which the liftingarm passes into the bumper-head from snow,sleet, and rain, and strengthening in general the upper part of thebumper-head castings.

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation through the line 3 y in Fig. 2,showing the position of the coupling-pin D and the prop or trippingbar Ewhen the lifting-arm M has been with drawn from the rest 0 and thetripping-bar has been pressed by the entering link 0 from its step S andboth have dropped, (being hinged together at b,)the coupling-pin I)grasping the link by the curved shoulder d. The curved shoulder cl isthe counterpart in shape of the or either side, and also to strengthengenerally point of pin D, thus permitting two coupling pins to be cut orstamped out of a parallelogram of iron of proper dimensions. The shieldA operates as a protection to the lower end of the tripping-bar againstblows from the front ing motion, as indicated by the dotted lines,

when the coupling-pin and tripping-bar are raised by the lifting-arm inuncoupling, or as they drop when a coupling is made, also showing by thedotted lines the raising and lowering of the link produced through thehandle H by pressing down the rear end of the link by the curvedshoulder 11 of the coupling-pin to raise the front end of the link, orby raising the coupling-pin by a reverse movement of the handle H, thusallowing the front end of the link to drop.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, showing the semicircu lar opening N on one sideof the orifice which admits the coupling-pin when it drops through thelink, the purpose of which is to admit a common round coupling -pin incase of the breakage or derangement of any of the machinery inside thebumper-head, also showing the position of the lifting-arm M whenwithdrawn from the rest 0 and in position to couple automatically when alink is passed into the bumper-head.

Fig. 5 shows the lower half of the casting which forms the loose joint.1. The long arm of the handle H passes through the eye of thewood-screw L, Fig. 1, thence across the end of the car to'the loosejoint J, thence through the curved groove j, from which point itconstitutes the lifting-arm M, Figs. 1, 2, and 4, passing through theslot into thebumper head, thence through the tripping-bar at a andthrough the coupling-pin at the oblong hole a, Fig. 3, being onecontinuous rod through out. The groove or opening j shows the'shape ofthe opening which admits and holds the turned end of the short handle H,permitting of the swaying motion of the joint. The upper half of thecasting J is the exact counterpart of the lower, (shown in Fig. 5,) sothat when the long handle H is placed in the groove j the upper castingis laid on and the twofastened together by a bolt through the I centerof the castings.

Fig. 6 is the cover 0, showing the opening 0,- in which rests the end ofthe liftingarln M, and the automatic dog r, the point of which dropsautomatically into the hole 1", Fig. 3, in the bumper-head, holding thecover securely in place.

Like letters represent like parts in all the figures.

The improvement herein is directed to increasing the durability,efficiency, and safety of the coupling for freight-cars for which Let--ters Patent were granted to me November 2, 1.880, No. 233,971, wherein afiat coupling pin is combined with. means for holding it in uncoupledposition and adjusting it for coupling without the necessity of goingbetween the ears for the purpose of connecting them...

It will be understood that the provision of the opening N, for using thecommon round coupling-pin, is in case of damageto the flat pin and itsconnected tripping-prop E, in which case the cover Q is" removed, andthese parts g are slipped off the rightangled end of the lift ing-arm Mand removed from the draw-head, and the ordinary round pin is droppedthrough the link into the opening made for the flat pin, whiehopening isenlarged at N for that purpose.. The right-angled end m of theliftingarm M is moved into and out of the opening 0, which forms a rest,m, (preferably made in a depending part, 0, of the cover 0,) by pullingor pushing the handle H of the operatingrods at either side of the car.When the pin is propped up by the pivoted bar E, the lifting-arm ispushed into the opening 0, as in Fig. 2, and, resting therein, preventsthe pin from falling in case its trippingprop E should be pushed off thestep s when it is not desired to couple the cars.

It often occurs that cars are moved together in the yards when it is notdesired to couple them, and without this provision for holding up thepin when the trip-bar has been pushed from the step 8 by the link thecars would couple only to give the trouble to uncouple them. It is forthis purpose that provision is made for an endwise movement of the rodsH of the lifting-arm, and it will be understood that the bottom on ofthe opening 0 forms a rest for the arm on when moved into it as a meansof holding the pin. up when the cars are not to be coupled. In this casethe withdrawal of the link will, leave the prop-bar free to fall. againinto the step .9 and hold up the pin, so that it may be dropped throughthe link and effect a coupling.

It will be seen from the drawings that the provision for supporting thepin in coupling position is by the pivoted prop-arm E, resting upon thesupport .9, just below and inside of the mouth K of the draw-head, whilethe lift ing-arm m can be used for supporting the pin in non-coupl in gposition independent of the prop bar E, and when the latter has beenpushed off the step. In Fig. L the bent end m of the lifting-arm isshown by dotted lines as having'been drawn out of the opening 0, so thatits end is entirely within the slot a in 'the coupling-pin,

leaving the latter free to fall the moment the link is pushed into thedraw head against the tripping-bar E. that thelifting-arm M extends intothe draw head bya slot, formed in the rear side of the guard G, and thatboth the coupling-pin and the pivoted trippingbar E are hung upon theright-angled end an of said liftingarm, the tripping-prop B beingpivoted at its upper end to the coupling-pin at apoint, I), back of itsconnection at (t with the lifting-arm m, as shown in Fig. 2). The objectof this construction is to cause the lower end of the pivoted prop E tobe thrown forward as it is raised to automatically place its lower endupon the step or seat 3 to hold the pin up, and for this purpose thepivot I) is nearly on a line with the bent end m of the liftiiigarin,sothat the prop always tends to fall into the step when raised. As thepin is raised and lowered between vertical guides in the top casting ofthe draw-head the operating-connections of the lifting-arm are thereforeadapted to swing upon the link 71, pivoted to the end of the car andsupporting the coupled ends of the mperating-rods, as shown in Fig.

The width of the slot 5 in the guard G determines the extent of thehorizontal side movement of the lifting-arm, so that the latter mustmaintain its proper relation to the coupling-pin, while the constructionshown of the lifting-arm gives the advantage ofhanging the coupling-pinand its pivoted trippingprop directly upon the bent end of said arm m,thereby rendering the construction durable.

The casting J serves to couple the separate rods H H, and the link 71not only serves to support these coupled operating-rods so as to allowof the proper operation of the liftingarm, but to allow of thehorizontal movement of the draw-head in the line of draft. The draw-headis attached to the car by springs and followers like those in use, andhas ahorizontal movement within its housings limited by the followers,and the rod-coupling J and its supporting-link h is to provide for suchmovement of the draw-head, and for the movement of the arm for operatingthe couplingpin. A chain, 9', connected with the liftingarm M, may beused for operating the coup ling-pin from the top of the car, as shownin. Fig. 1..

This automatic freight-car eoupler can be coupled, uncoupled, or be setso as not to couple, then again so it will couple, from either side ofthe car by a simple movement of either of the handles.

Having thus described the character and parts of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1.. The-shield A, the guard G, the liftingarm M as a part of the longarm of the handle H, the opening and rest 0 in the cover 0, the shortswinging arm 72, the loose joint. J, with its various grooves andopenings, in CODl bination with the short handle H, the automatic dog1-, in combination with the hole r in the bumpenhead, the semicircularopening In this figure it will be seen N, and the curved shoulder d ofthe couplingpin. v 2. The draw-head of a car-coupling, constructed withthe slotted side guard, G g, in combination with the right-angledlifting-arm m M, the coupling-pin D, the tripping-prop E, a suitablerest, m, for said arm when elevated, and means, substantially such asdescribed, whereby the lifting-arm is operated vertically with saidcoupling-pin and tripping-prop and horizontally independently of theseparts in relation to the rest for saidarm, substantially as described,for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in a car-coupling, of the coupling-pin D and thetripping-prop E, with the right-angled lifting-arm m M, the drawheadprovided with a suitable rest, m, for said arm at M when lifted, theoperating-rods H H, and means, substantially such' as described, wherebysaid rods are loosely connected to each other, loosely supported at suchconnection, and adapted to be moved upon such loose sup port, to conformto the vertical movement of the-coupling-pin and the horizontal movementof the draw-head.

4. The combination, in a car-coupling, of the coupling-pin D, thetripping-prop E, the

right-angled lifting-arm M m, and the drawhead constructed with asuitable rest, m, for said arm when lifted, with the handle-rods H Htherefor, the coupling J, and the pivoted support It, loosely connectedwith the coupled operating-rods, substantially as described, for thepurpose specified.

5. The combination, in a car-coupling, of 3 5 the pin D and the pivotedprop E, with the lifting-arm M, having a right-angled end, 721, and ahandle, H, the sectional grooved coupling J, the separate l1andle-rod Hthe swinging link 11, and a draw-head provided with an interior rest, m,for the bent end of said lifting-arm, substantially as described. 6. Theflat coupling-pin D, provided with the curved shoulder d, in combinationwith the tripping-prop E, pivoted at b, the right-angled lifting-arm Mm, the handle-rods H H, a suit able rest, on, in the draw-head for thesaid arm m, and the opening for the coupling-pin enlarged at N, allconstructed as shown, and

for the purpose described.

i JACOB N, BEST. Witnesses:

T. B. BUCHANAN, J AMES S. HUDSON.

